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Gray's Creek Middle

Public Grades 6-8
260th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 778 North Carolina Middle Schools
Better than 67% of North Carolina middle schools
Summary

Gray's Creek Middle is a large public school in Hope Mills, NC, serving 1,068 students in grades 6–8 as part of Cumberland County Schools. In the 2025–2026 school year, Gray's Creek Middle ranked 260th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools — a 67th percentile ranking that earned a 3-star rating and represents a significant jump from the prior year, when it ranked in the 51st percentile. The school outperforms its district in every tested subject and grade, and it matches or exceeds state averages in most areas. Particularly notable is 8th grade science, where 77.3% of students are proficient, compared to 67.0% for the district and 68.6% statewide.

The school is a relative bright spot in a cluster of struggling middle schools. Among nearby schools, only John R. Griffin Middle outperforms it, while Hope Mills Middle, South View Middle, Douglas Byrd Middle, and Lewis Chapel Middle all rank much lower. Gray's Creek Middle also serves a more economically mixed population, with about 53% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to poverty rates above 95% at most neighboring schools. The school shows impressive recent gains: proficiency rose in every grade and subject from the prior year, including an increase from 43.3% to 60.2% in 8th grade math, and the school's ranking jumped from the 51st to the 67th percentile.

One of the school's most compelling strengths is its results for specific student groups. English Learner students rank in the 86th percentile statewide, Hispanic students in the 79th, and African American students in the 71st — all earning 4-star results. The school's primary vulnerability is attendance: 33.1% of students are chronically absent, well above the state rate of 24.2%. Low-income students (46th percentile) and special education students (47th percentile) perform below the school's overall standing. With a student-teacher ratio of 17.9:1 and per-pupil spending below many nearby schools, Gray's Creek Middle appears to be an efficient, upward-trending option for Hope Mills families.

1,068
Students ?
17.9
Student/teacher ratio ?
53.4%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 5151 Celebration Drive
       Hope Mills, NC  28348

(910) 483-4124

District: Cumberland County Schools


Students who attend Gray's Creek Middle usually attend:

High:    Gray's Creek High

Feeder schools for Gray's Creek Middle:

Elementary:    Alderman Road Elementary
    Gallberry Farm Elementary
    Gray's Creek Elementary
Racial breakdown:

White:
44.2%
African American:
27.2%
Hispanic:
14.3%
more
 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare Gray's Creek Middle to nearby middle schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 62nd percentile in 2016 → 67th in 2026
Strengths
✓Ranking is trending up — up 5 percentile points since 2016
✓Above the North Carolina median (67th percentile)
Worth a look
!High chronic absenteeism (33% vs 24% North Carolina)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school62%
District avg53%
North Carolina avg58%
260th of 778
North Carolina public middle schools ?
Top 33%▲ up 5 pts since 2016
From top 38% (2016) to top 33% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
141st of 246Cumberland County Schools among North Carolina districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202663.7260 of 77866.6%★★★☆☆
202550.8382 of 77350.6%★★★☆☆
202453.4355 of 79355.2%★★★☆☆
202354.1345 of 78456.0%★★★☆☆
202251.5368 of 78653.2%★★★☆☆
202151.2343 of 74153.7%★★★☆☆
201956.3326 of 73755.8%★★★☆☆
201858.7295 of 69157.3%★★★☆☆
201762.3258 of 69462.8%★★★☆☆
201661.1263 of 69262.0%★★★☆☆
201564.1238 of 70566.2%★★★☆☆
201462.7212 of 62766.2%★★★☆☆
201354.3291 of 67356.8%★★★☆☆
201264.7256 of 66261.3%★★★☆☆
201154.8348 of 64846.3%★★☆☆☆
201052.7369 of 64042.3%★★☆☆☆
200962.2270 of 63057.1%★★★☆☆
200858.9278 of 62055.2%★★★☆☆
200756.8300 of 60650.5%★★★☆☆
200670.3155 of 59874.1%★★★★☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202662.7163 of 55370.5%★★★★☆
202559.6169 of 54669.0%★★★☆☆
202460.4156 of 56072.1%★★★★☆
202359.2166 of 55970.3%★★★★☆
202259.5163 of 55070.4%★★★★☆
202160.8128 of 53376.0%★★★★☆
201967.2108 of 51979.2%★★★★☆
201873.277 of 49484.4%★★★★☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202232.7289 of 44935.6%★★☆☆☆
202149.9182 of 47861.9%★★★☆☆
201953.4179 of 50464.5%★★★☆☆
201835.5312 of 47534.3%★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202672.650 of 36386.2%★★★★☆
202566.362 of 37183.3%★★★★☆
202468.346 of 35687.1%★★★★☆
202322.9290 of 3188.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202257.679 of 31274.7%★★★★☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202664.2231 of 73168.4%★★★☆☆
202550.9356 of 73351.4%★★★☆☆
202457.1289 of 73860.8%★★★☆☆
202355.0320 of 73156.2%★★★☆☆
202246.8377 of 73348.6%★★☆☆☆
202153.6306 of 70656.7%★★★☆☆
201952.7334 of 68451.2%★★★☆☆
201856.8306 of 65653.4%★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202661.2203 of 46556.3%★★★☆☆
202558.7228 of 45850.2%★★★☆☆
202470.086 of 46181.3%★★★★☆
202367.6121 of 45273.2%★★★★☆
202257.3230 of 45048.9%★★☆☆☆
202155.6238 of 44846.9%★★☆☆☆
201961.8172 of 41658.7%★★★☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202670.5120 of 56678.8%★★★★☆
202557.4205 of 56263.5%★★★☆☆
202460.9170 of 56469.9%★★★★☆
202362.3155 of 55372.0%★★★★☆
202267.6123 of 54177.3%★★★★☆
202168.2102 of 52280.5%★★★★☆
201954.9180 of 49363.5%★★★☆☆
201864.3129 of 47272.7%★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202644.9395 of 72545.5%★★☆☆☆
202542.7411 of 72943.6%★★☆☆☆
202444.3399 of 74346.3%★★☆☆☆
202350.1340 of 73553.7%★★★☆☆
202255.5260 of 68962.3%★★★☆☆
202162.6176 of 63372.2%★★★★☆
201951.3294 of 63954.0%★★★☆☆
201857.8231 of 60461.8%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202660.3276 of 73662.5%★★★☆☆
202548.8372 of 73349.2%★★☆☆☆
202447.3392 of 75147.8%★★☆☆☆
202351.2339 of 74754.6%★★★☆☆
202253.9329 of 74856.0%★★★☆☆
202147.3358 of 71149.6%★★☆☆☆
201956.5299 of 69757.1%★★★☆☆
201858.8278 of 66558.2%★★★☆☆

Military Connected

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202663.122 of 6767.2%★★★☆☆
202552.432 of 6450.0%★★★☆☆
202454.033 of 5843.1%★★☆☆☆
202356.924 of 5455.6%★★★☆☆
202244.333 of 5843.1%★★☆☆☆
202139.939 of 5731.6%★★☆☆☆
201949.127 of 4843.8%★★☆☆☆
201856.818 of 4560.0%★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202661.2110 of 33367.0%★★★☆☆
202545.0187 of 32843.0%★★☆☆☆
202455.0130 of 30657.5%★★★☆☆
202347.2158 of 30247.7%★★☆☆☆
202243.0158 of 28344.2%★★☆☆☆
202144.9127 of 24848.8%★★☆☆☆
201954.793 of 23760.8%★★★☆☆
201848.6110 of 22150.2%★★★☆☆

Native American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202494.81 of 2195.2%★★★★★
202339.812 of 1833.3%★★☆☆☆
202253.912 of 2040.0%★★☆☆☆
202148.213 of 2343.5%★★★☆☆
201940.818 of 2425.0%★★☆☆☆
201824.121 of 238.7%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202640.5266 of 50046.8%★★☆☆☆
202534.2316 of 47833.9%★★☆☆☆
202448.9179 of 47362.2%★★★☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202661.0240 of 64462.7%★★★☆☆
202542.2383 of 64941.0%★★☆☆☆
202438.0417 of 65236.0%★★☆☆☆
202347.4339 of 65648.3%★★☆☆☆
202239.9403 of 65838.8%★★☆☆☆
202140.8372 of 63241.1%★★☆☆☆
201946.4352 of 62443.6%★★☆☆☆
201847.8322 of 59646.0%★★☆☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Native American (2024)95th percentile+40 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)86th percentile+20 vs school
Hispanic (2026)79th percentile+12 vs school
African American (2026)71st percentile+4 vs school
Female (2026)68th percentile~ school
Military Connected (2026)67th percentile~ school
Multi-racial (2026)67th percentile~ school
White (2026)63rd percentile-4 vs school
Male (2026)62nd percentile-4 vs school
Gifted and Talented (2026)56th percentile-10 vs school
Special Education (2026)47th percentile-20 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)46th percentile-21 vs school
Disabled (2022)36th percentile-18 vs school
By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?
Science77%+9 vs state
Mathematics61%+5 vs state
Reading59%+3 vs state

1.0
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What people are saying
by a parent
Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Open Quote my child started attending this school in November of 2018. Before she started here she was a good student with an A/B average. After she started she would come home daily in tears from the bullying. Teachers and staff stated they took it very seriously. Not True! Bullying continued almost daily. My daughter had food thrown at her, was cursed at, was called names and even had a pair of scissors thrown at her during class. Nothing was ever done. The teachers claimed they 'talked to" the students doing the bullying. Finally at the end of the year, after her grades had fallen significantly, she had taken enough of it and stood up for herself and then received a 3 day suspension. I sent the principal an email and NEVER got a response. We are taking her out of the public school system. Close Quote





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Frequently Asked Questions about Gray's Creek Middle

Students who attend Gray's Creek Middle usually go on to attend Gray's Creek High

Students at Gray's Creek Middle are 44% White, 27% African American, 14% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% Asian.

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,068 students attended Gray's Creek Middle.

Gray's Creek Middle ranks 260th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »
2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026
2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026
2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025
2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025


SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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